PARENT & CHILD

PARENT & CHILD; Protecting Children Going to School

Published: December 15, 1994

(Page 3 of 3)

But it is the youth officers who are the linchpins in the Police Department's effort to curb violence against children. They try to make regular visits to every public and private school in their precinct and develop relationships with school administrators, who know better than anyone else who the troublemakers are. "The key is to break the anonymity that shields wrongdoers," Mr. Tumin said.

But Thomas Marino, a youth officer in the 19th Precinct, said his help was generally, but not always, warmly received. "Some private schools don't treat us with open arms like public schools do," he said. "Some don't think it's a good thing for a police officer to be around the school. I don't know whether they think it's a bad thing for parents to see there's trouble there."

Recently, three boys were charged with trying to rob a Dalton student around the corner from the school, in part for what they perceived as the privileges of the well-to-do. "Those preppie kids get a different amount of rights," claimed a 15-year-old, one of those charged. "If I put my hand on his shoulder, I'd be arrested." The arrests in that case came as a result of the new priority the police are giving such crimes. As soon as the boys surrounded the student, they were captured by a Dalton security guard and plainclothes officers from the 19th precinct on the lookout for such incidents.

Then, the victim agreed to prosecute. "He was very bright, had a very good memory, and was very articulate about what happened to him," said Ileane Spinner, a prosecutor for the Family Court. "He practically drafted the case for us." On Monday, two of the boys were found guilty of attempted robbery. They face up to two years probation or a year and a half at an institution for juvenile offenders. Before Your Child Sets Off

HERE are some suggestions from parent's groups and the police to help children reduce the risk of being mugged.

Ask children to look alert and always take note of the people around them. Daydreamers make better victims.

Remind children to walk with purpose, but not to strut or act macho. A child looking to prove himself to his friends might take such behavior as a challenge.

Suggest that children travel to and from school with a classmate whenever possible. Predators often have friends along to provide physical as well as moral support. So should other children.

Help them select streets where there is a lot of pedestrian traffic rather than deserted side streets.

Remind them to seek doormen if they think they are in danger. Many doormen are now equipped with walkie-talkies and can contact the police.

If concerned about subway safety, check with the Transit Police Department to see which trains have officers regularly assigned to them as part of the Safe Passage program. Information: (718) 330-3098. If children are traveling by bus, suggest that they sit near the drivers. For information about the Safe Corridors program near your child's school, call your local police precinct.

Remind children not to flash money or possessions, and to keep bus or subway passes in their pockets until they're ready to use them. If they are threatened, tell them to give up their possessions.

Find the Safe Havens along their route and introduce children to the merchants involved. For the location of Safe Havens, call the Parents League at (212) 737-7385.

To reduce risks, private school children should leave school blazers in their lockers.

If they become victims of a crime, call the police immediately; minutes count. But even if the call is made the next day or several days later, it's not too late. The police may arrest an assailant later for another crime and connect him or her to your child's case based on the description provided. Furthermore, the police assign officers where they think the need is greatest. If you don't report a crime, the police say, it may as well have never happened. RALPH GARDNER Jr.

Photos: Parents in a safety patrol program at the Spence School on East 91st Street. (pg. C1); Police Officer Lee Jones on patrol near the High School of Graphic Communication Arts in Manhattan.; Students near the Worldwide Plaza on Eighth Avenue. (pg. C4) (Photographs by Ed Quinn for The New York Times)